The Burdens That Allow Us To Fly
by RositaLG
Summary: A birthday OS for the lovely JMHaughey.


**A/N: For JMHaughey's birthday! In honor of the birthday girl, this story was written using her own invention, which she has cleverly dubbed: "The Jaime Technique". Here's how it works. You get someone else to choose 5 random words and you write a story. It's a really fun challenge and it's great for the short little TweetFics I usually write on Twitter. So, her five words were: Tin, Vodka, Stereotype, Ambulance, Camera. This is what appeared. Happy Birthday lady! Here's hoping that March comes in the blink of an eye!**

**OOOOO**

Booth had been in a strange mood all day. He felt an unusual apprehension, like something was coming around the bend. This feeling never failed him; he was a gut person after all, so when his phone rang, it might as well have been one of the horsemen calling to announce the apocalypse. He knew that it was bad news before he even answered it.

"Booth." He barked.

"It's me." Her quiet voice instantly made his stomach clench in worry. "I've been in a car accident. I'm fine, but the car…"

"Where are you?" He asked before he could even get the rest of the story. She was silent. "Bones, where are you?" He asked again.

"I'm at your crime scene."

"From this morning?" Everyone knew that she wasn't allowed to be there. Both Cam and the Jeffersonian had made it clear that she was to stay out of the field. Her silence told him that he had guessed correctly. "Jesus, Bones…" He scolded her, but he was already at the elevator.

"I have to go Booth, the paramedics are coming."

"Bones, don't you dare hang up this ph…" but he knew it was a lost cause. He growled as he put his phone back into his pocket and pushed the elevator button once more for good measure. How hard was it to follow a simple order? She knew better. He made it to his vehicle and took a deep breath before he put the keys in the ignition. He needed to calm down, otherwise, he was going to get both of them in accidents today and that didn't solve anything. She was fine. She had called him, sounded lucid. He focused on the facts. When he felt in control of his actions again, he turned the engine over, threw it into reverse and headed for his crime scene.

OOOOO

Booth pushed his way past the cameras and reporters, flashing his badge indiscriminately as he went. He wasn't sure who he was yelling at, but he needed to get to the front of the line. Sure enough, there was an ambulance blocking the crime scene and of course, she was sitting in the back of it.

"What have I told you about getting seriously injured when I'm not around to fire my gun?" He asked as he knelt down to examine her face. She rolled her eyes.

"I'm fine." She promised him.

"You don't look fine." He said as he stood up. "Is she fine?" He asked the paramedic.

"Some bumps and bruises, nothing a couple of ice packs and some pain killers won't solve." He tried to assure Booth. "We'll take her in just to be sure, but it should only take a few minutes to look her over."

"Will you meet us there? I'm going to need a ride home." Brennan requested.

"What? Oh, right. Yeah." Booth nodded. He watched as they loaded her up into the back of the ambulance. "I'll see you in a few minutes." He promised as they shut the back doors on him.

OOOOO

As soon as Booth had found her room, he had begun to pace. With the combating emotions fighting inside him, he couldn't even stand still, let alone sit down.

"Can I get you anything while you wait?" The nurse asked the couple as she picked up their paperwork.

"Any chance you have a bottle of Vodka stashed around here?" Booth asked her under his breath. The nurse smiled and patted his hand.

"It won't be long now." She assured him as she walked back out of the room. They were finally alone and Booth took the opportunity to turn his attention back to his partner.

"I should have never let you get into that piece of tin you call a car." He said as he shook his head. "And don't think that just because I'm upset that I've forgotten that you were at my crime scene, unattended!" He said as he turned once more, continuing his pacing.

"Booth, please sit down and try to relax."

"I can't." He said honestly.

"You're making me anxious." She admitted. "I would feel calmer if you sat down and held my hand." It was a lie for his sake, but it was effective. He couldn't exactly say no to her request. He sighed as he sat down next to her and gave her his hand. She squeezed it, knowing that his anger was simply his fear rising to the surface. He sighed and used his free hand to rub the bridge of his nose.

"What if something had happened to you?" He asked her, seriously wanting to know.

"The accident wasn't my fault, Booth! I couldn't have known that…." One look at the flash of anger in his eyes and she realized that wasn't the point. "I'm sorry." She murmured, pondering how she could get him to relax. "I know what will make you feel better." She said. "Come here." She moved his hand down towards her stomach. _Move for your father_, she silently requested as she pressed his fingers into her belly, hoping to get a reaction. The baby bumped against his hand and he smiled.

"So she's okay? She's not kicking for help or anything, is she?"

"She's fine, Booth. We both are. And as soon as the doctor comes in to confirm that, we're going home." He sighed. He hated being a stereotype, but he couldn't help himself. These two people were the most important things in his life outside of his son and he couldn't bear the thought of anything happening to them. The doctor came in and smiled at the pair.

"Hello. I hear it's been an exciting afternoon for you, Dr. Brennan."

"I will be relieved to be home again." She admitted. "Dr. Shaughnessy, this is my partner, Special Agent Seeley Booth."

"Hello."

"Hi." Booth said.

"So we're just going to do an ultrasound and make sure that everything looks okay and then you'll be free to go." He informed the parents. Brennan laid back and lifted her shirt to reveal her stomach, used to the routine by now. Booth was still surprised by how fast she was growing. She had mentioned a few days ago that her voracious appetite let her know that she was carrying a Booth. She had been teasing, but it had been the moment when he truly realized that there was a person coming into this world that was a piece of each of them. Just like that, it had become real.

He watched as the fuzzy image of his daughter filled the screen. He had never really been able to make her out clearly before because unlike Brennan, he was a novice when it came to reading ultrasounds but she had grown since last time. He smiled as he watched her heart beating wildly. It was a sight he would never become accustomed to, and that was okay with him. He felt Brennan release his hand.

"Booth, look! She has your mental protuberance." She exclaimed as she pointed to the screen.

"My what?"

"Your jaw." The doctor translated with a laugh. "Or more specifically your chin." Booth stared at the screen, once again, completely at a loss but taking her word for it. "Everything looks perfectly fine, Dr. Brennan. You should rest tonight but I have no problem with sending you home. You are clearly in good hands." He smiled at Booth. He turned off the monitor and handed a box of tissues to Brennan to clean herself off. "Do you have any questions for me while you are here?" He asked the couple.

"No." Brennan spoke for both of them. "Thank you Doctor." He gave a quick nod of his head before leaving the room again. "See, Booth? Everything was fine. No need to worry."

"I will always worry, Bones." He said honestly. "Don't even bother trying to fight it." She rolled her eyes but smiled at his caring gesture. "Come on, let's get you home."

OOOOO

Brennan felt Booth's eyes on her as she walked into her apartment. He was monitoring her for injuries.

"I'm fine, Booth." She said once again as she turned around just in time to watch him lock the door behind them.

"You have to at least be feeling sore, Bones. Your car was just totaled with you inside it. There's no way you walk away without a single bruise." He said.

"I've been bruised before." She said, brushing off his concern.

"Come on, I'm drawing you a bath." He said as he wrapped an arm around her waist and shepherded her towards the bathroom.

"I thought you were upset with me?" She furrowed her eyebrows, trying to make him out.

"Oh I am." He said, not denying it for a second.

"So, why are you being nice?" She asked. Booth sighed.

"Bones, you are the mother of my child and my partner and you could have died today. Right now, it is my job to put my anger aside and just take care of you." He said as he turned on the hot water. "Plus, I know you hate it when I take away your independence so for the next 12 hours, you are going to be tortured by my hovering. With no arguments." He added as he pointed his finger knowingly at her. "Deal?" She nodded her concession. After all, now it was her turn to acquiesce to his request.

OOOOO

Brennan woke up to the sound of Booth muttering nonsensically. She assumed he was talking in his sleep, but when she turned over, she realized he was awake.

"Booth?" She questioned, sitting up. "What's wrong?"

"Sorry. I didn't mean to wake you. I couldn't sleep so I was watching TV and when I came back in, I stubbed my toe." He explained as he fluffed his pillow and got comfortable.

"Why couldn't you sleep?" She asked. It was a rare occasion when he couldn't sleep; so rare, in fact, that she hadn't seen it in the six months or so that they had been living together.

"I was thinking."

"About what?"

"About all the things that could have gone wrong today." Brennan sighed as a surge of responsibility for his anxiety overwhelmed her.

"I'm sorry. I really thought it was just going to be a quick trip to double check the window. Everyone else was busy and I didn't see the harm."

"Bones, the accident could have happened anywhere. I'm forbidding you from ever going to a crime scene again, but that isn't the point. The point is: I don't like feeling helpless where your safety is concerned." He said. "I've got too much to lose." He let his thumb graze her cheek before continuing. "You know, I spend so much time worrying about serial killers and crazy suspects with guns that I forget about the normal stuff. I can shoot a man between the eyes from a kilometer away but I can't stop that truck from running a red light."

"Booth, no one expects you to. You don't need to save me. I mean, yes, sometimes you do, but only on very special occasions." He couldn't help but laugh at her statement. "And I know that in those moments, you'll be there. I am as sure of that as I am of anything." Booth stared at her, more than a little dazzled by her ability to say the right thing at the right time. He knew that for every time she said something wrong, she made up for it in spades when she got it right.

"I love you, you know that?" He smiled.

"Of course I do." She said. "You tell me quite often."

"Not enough." He said as he leaned in to kiss her.

"I love you too." She said before gingerly laying back down on her pillow. "You finally feeling sore?" He asked, watching her moves with concern. Brennan rolled her eyes.

"Yes, but not from the accident. Your daughter not only has your mental protuberance, but your restlessness as well. I would not be the least bit surprised if I'm entirely black and blue inside." He couldn't fight the dumbstruck grin that appeared on his face whenever she used the phrase 'your daughter' on him. It was unstoppable. He placed his hand on her stomach and kissed it gently.

"Be nice to Mommy. She's had a rough day and needs her rest." He instructed. "And once you get out, I'll let you be as restless as you want. We can walk around the block or go for runs in the park. Maybe I'll even let you illegally climb some statues on the Mall. Okay, my little monkey baby?" He cooed. "Just a few more months." He promised.

"And for the first nine months, she only gets to kick you." Brennan smiled.

"I can't wait." He said honestly.


End file.
